Promotion of inclusive education:

SWID Bangladesh has pioneered the inclusive education in Bangladesh. It promotes mainstream education of the intellectually disabled children. As a part of its initiative it took the following programs which have some positive impact in promoting access of the disabled in the country :

(i) Govt. Primary School Teachers’ Training and Awareness Program :

Title of the project :- "Capacity development of the primary school teachers and social awareness creation for inclusion of the intellectually disabled children in the mainstream government primary schools in several districts of Bangladesh". This program started in July 2004 and ended in July 2005. The project was funded by CIDA and approved by the Directorate of Primary and Mass Education. The objectives of the project were :

• Conducting 6-days training programs in 19 districts for 25 teachers in each batch to enhance skills in teaching the intellectually disabled and develop positive attitude in favor for educating intellectually disabled in the mainstream primary schools.

• Conducting one-day workshop in 19 venues at the end of the each training program with the participation of local elites, NGO workers, teachers and government officials especially from the department of social welfare and education.

The project was implemented in the following places:, Feni, Comilla, Kushtia, Barisal, Chittagong, Dinajpur, Rajshahi, Faridpur, Bagerhat, Bhola, Khulna, Satkhira, Pirojpur, Patuakhali, Madhupur, Sarishabari, Bogra, Gaibandha, and Brahmanbaria. 482 teachers of government primary schools were trained through this project. 1927 persons from local elites, NGO workers, teachers and government officials especially from the department of social services and education participated in the workshops. 'A Teachers Training Manual' has been developed for conducting the training program. The key components of the training programs and workshop were basic information relating to intellectual disability and inclusive education. One of the achieved results is involvement of Directorate of Primary Education in the program of disability. At the initial stage, the idea of inclusion of intellectually or other disabled in the mainstream primary schools was negative but at the end of the training program or workshop, they became motivated for educating the intellectually disabled in the mainstream primary schools. In the meantime, Directorate of Primary Education passed an order for admitting the disabled children in the Govt. primary schools. The teachers who have participated in the program have acquired basic skills and knowledge of handling and teaching the intellectually disabled persons. Another important result of the program is to analysis of possibility of inclusion of the disabled. It is revealed that there are some limitations in educating the disabled in the mainstream school but simultaneously it shows that there some possibilities for inclusion. In the present situation few disabled can be admitted and if the education system and attitude changed and facilities are created more disabled children will be admitted. Above all, the participants were sensitized for educational rights of the persons with disabilities.

(ii) Training program for the teachers of non-formal primary schools of BRAC

(Project title: Integration and development of the unreached intellectually disabled.) The project was funded by Human Development Foundation and approved by BRAC. The objectives and locations of the Project :

• Identification of the intellectually disabled persons in the project area
• Promotion of admission and educating intellectually disabled in the non-formal primary schools run by BRAC
• Demonstrate inclusive education in the BRAC non-formal primary schools
• Motivate BRAC for inclusion of disabled children in their educational program

The results of the action: Number of teachers trained :

• In 2000/1 at Faridpur, Rajbari and Manikgonj region= 143 teachers were trained
• In 2001/2 at Faridpur, Rajbari and Manikgonj region= 297 teachers were trained
• In 2003/4 at Natore and Magura region= 203 teachers were trained
• As a result of teachers training and demonstration of integration of the disabled people in the non-formal schools of BRAC, the BRAC authority started disabled children education program in their schools with their own initiative, which is a part of our achievement.

Formation of other auxiliary organizations :

SWID Bangladesh has initiated establishment of two other organizations for the benefit of the intellectually disabled persons of Bangladesh, those are :

(a) Special Olympics, Bangladesh- SWID Bangladesh communicated with International Special Olympics and arranged a local independent body to form the 'Special Olympics, Bangladesh' in 1993 which is responsible for organizing Special Olympics games in Bangladesh and participation in the World Special Olympics by the intellectually disabled persons.

(b) Trust for the Welfare of the Intellectually Disabled (TWID)- TWID has been formed in 1994 for rehabilitation of the intellectually disabled persons and acting as guardian for the intellectually disabled persons who lost their legal guardians.